1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clamps for fastening grapevines and other fruit-bearing shrubs on bracing wires.
More particularly, the invention is concerned with a clamp which includes a detent at one end and a hook at the other end which cooperates with a bracing wire which together are usable to fasten grapevines and other fruit-bearing shrubs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, grapevines have been secured on bracing wires with willow rods, strings or bast which was time-consuming and therefore expensive. From German Pat. No. 171,469, it is known to use bent wire clamps which includes a double wound spiral with parallel projecting resilient ends with which the vine can be secured by crossing substantially parallel to a bracing wire on the latter. A drawback of this type of clamp is the relatively great material consumption, relatively great production costs, and the risk that the vine will not be sufficiently secured, moving in the wind and being exposed to harmful friction.
It is also known to provide a wire clamp which has a clamping means at both ends with which it is clamped on the bracing wire. Between the two clamping means an intermediate piece extends which has the form of a stirrup. The vine is held with ample clearance between the stirrup and the bracing wire. This clamp is firmly secured on the bracing wire, but it is difficult to handle as well as being relatively elaborate to manufacture, and it has the drawback that the vine is subject to friction due to the bracing wire and as well as due to the clamp.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a clamp for fastening grapevines or other fruit-bearing shrubs on bracing wires, which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to handle, and versatile in use, and in which the vine is so fixed on the bracing wire that it neither rubs on the bracing wire nor rubs on the clamp.